My Spare Tire is missing.
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Senior User
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 230
Likes: 0
From: Manitoba, Canada
My Spare Tire is missing.
I went to un-crank the spare tire last night just to check it as part of a spring tune up and it's GONE!!!
There's just the bare cable hanging down and that's it.
I'm assuming the "T" bracket or whatever it's called slipped off the cable due to a poor crimp or something.
Is this common?
Do I have to get a whole new crank assembly?
What is the spare tire crank assembly called if I have to phone around for one?
Or I just leave it in the box but would rather not.
Next I need a new spare.
What's the bolt patteren for the rim?
What's the stock tire size? Even though it doesn't really matter for the spare.
Thanks.
98 F-150 XLT 2wd Ext. cab 4.2L
There's just the bare cable hanging down and that's it.
I'm assuming the "T" bracket or whatever it's called slipped off the cable due to a poor crimp or something.
Is this common?
Do I have to get a whole new crank assembly?
What is the spare tire crank assembly called if I have to phone around for one?
Or I just leave it in the box but would rather not.
Next I need a new spare.
What's the bolt patteren for the rim?
What's the stock tire size? Even though it doesn't really matter for the spare.
Thanks.
98 F-150 XLT 2wd Ext. cab 4.2L
Junior User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 76
Likes: 0
From: North Chicago
you know that happened to me a few month ago but fortunatley the tire dropped as i was backing up so I end up finding the tire. But my father in law wasnt so fortunate he lost his at a stop light and never found it he had to replace the hole thing. I've seen quite a few of post from people that this has happened to. What happened to mine was it looked like the cable rusted out or just snappped clean off. I dont know how it could snap because the tire was secured up under the truck nice and tight the way is it suppose to be. I fixed mine with a cable clap for the time being. if you are able to find a replacement crank assembly let me know how much it went for.
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 245
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From: Homer, Alaska
Along the same lines, I'm having a problem with my spare tire. It isn't missing, but the bar you insert into the bumper to crank the tire down IS missing. Does anyone know what that would be called and where I could get one from? Or a jury rigged home built solution I could try out?
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,977
Likes: 1
From: South Texas
Along the same lines, I'm having a problem with my spare tire. It isn't missing, but the bar you insert into the bumper to crank the tire down IS missing. Does anyone know what that would be called and where I could get one from? Or a jury rigged home built solution I could try out?
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 245
Likes: 0
From: Homer, Alaska
I have the security key in my glovebox, it's just the bar itself I can't find. There aren't any junkyards around here, the nearest one is 250 miles away... I'll check next time I'm in that town! Thanks.
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,977
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From: South Texas
Rambo:
I just noticed you live in Alaska, I guess there are no junkyards close by
I guess you could make one out of some rebar or metal rod stock. You could use the mounting location under the hood as a template to get the right length and shape. The hardest part would be getting the tip right so the key clips on to the end.
I just noticed you live in Alaska, I guess there are no junkyards close by
I guess you could make one out of some rebar or metal rod stock. You could use the mounting location under the hood as a template to get the right length and shape. The hardest part would be getting the tip right so the key clips on to the end.
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Freshman User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
All this talk about losing the spare tire is scaring me! If it wasn't for this board, I'd never know this problem even existed! I have a '03 Supercrew Off Road, and even though it's only about nine months old, I'm gonna crawl under it and check things out. I live in the NY, and we had a pretty bad winter, so I guess now is as good as any to check it.
What amazes me, is that wouldn't Ford want to fix the problem. I mean aren't they liable. I hope it doesn't take a few deaths for them to work on a solution or recall. It's frightning to think you could be driving down the highway and lose the spare. It's even more frightning to be in the group of cars behind you trying to dodge a 17' spare tire bouncing at them .
Anyone here on the board come up with any solutions on how to secure it in case the cable snaps.
What amazes me, is that wouldn't Ford want to fix the problem. I mean aren't they liable. I hope it doesn't take a few deaths for them to work on a solution or recall. It's frightning to think you could be driving down the highway and lose the spare. It's even more frightning to be in the group of cars behind you trying to dodge a 17' spare tire bouncing at them .
Anyone here on the board come up with any solutions on how to secure it in case the cable snaps.
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Freshman User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 44
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That could be a problem too !!
It might be a good idea to check and see if mine's still under there !! LOL
As a newbie here, I'm expecting (actually hoping) you guys to give me and some of the other newbies some safeguards for our trucks.
It might be a good idea to check and see if mine's still under there !! LOL
As a newbie here, I'm expecting (actually hoping) you guys to give me and some of the other newbies some safeguards for our trucks.
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 207
Likes: 0
From: North Bay, ON
Hey Rambo, this is probably a dumb question, but did you check under the hood for your tire crank? It looks like the old jack cranks used to when they had scissor jacks. Feel free to blast me if you think that I am picking on you, but I'm not. I have seen questions before, that the obvious solution was to check in the right place, and it had not been done because the owner did not know where to look, so please don't be offended.
Thom
Thom
Cargo Master
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,358
Likes: 250
I never had the cable break, but I had the gearbox lock up, probably from frequently driving on gravel. I had to cut the cable to remove the tire, luckily i was in my yard and not out in the middle of nowhere. Needless to say that when I traded for a new truck the first thing i did was put the spare in the box. I don't live in a high crime area so i don't worry about leaving it in the box.
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 245
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From: Homer, Alaska
Thanks, Drighten. I never knew that is where they stored the bar for lowering the spare tire.
I previously owned a GM 2500 and the bar used to lower the spare tire was stored with the jack. I just assumed that since the bar wasn't with the jack on my Ford, it was somehow missing.
Appreciate it
I previously owned a GM 2500 and the bar used to lower the spare tire was stored with the jack. I just assumed that since the bar wasn't with the jack on my Ford, it was somehow missing.
Appreciate it
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 385
Likes: 0
From: Flat Rock, Michigan
Two months after getting my truck from the factory, i put my spare tire in the box and tied it to the bed hook behind the passenger rear window so it doesn't slide around. And because i have a tonneau cover, my spare tire stays clean and out of sight for any wanna-be tire thieves. Sure, they could always slash the tonneau cover open, but then why not just steal the whole truck?
Think about this: A thief could go to any parking lot with his "tire crank handle" and "find" all the Ford spare tires that were not locked or hidden. The thief could get quite a collection going and who's going to question him when it looks like he's getting his own spare tire out?
I think more spares tires turn up stolen than fall from the under carriage assembly. Lock 'em or hide 'em! Just my 2¢ worth on the missing-spare-tire topic.
-hooD
Think about this: A thief could go to any parking lot with his "tire crank handle" and "find" all the Ford spare tires that were not locked or hidden. The thief could get quite a collection going and who's going to question him when it looks like he's getting his own spare tire out?
I think more spares tires turn up stolen than fall from the under carriage assembly. Lock 'em or hide 'em! Just my 2¢ worth on the missing-spare-tire topic.
-hooD